Switch-operating device.



M. M. MGCOMBS.

SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION mum JUNE 28, 1912.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

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SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1912.

1,075,841. Patented 001.14, 1913.

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-UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

MARSHALL M. McCOMBS, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARSHALL M. Mo- CoMBs, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved railway switch adapted to be operated from the front end of a car or the leading car of a train of cars without the necessity of stopping the train, the object being to provide a switch of this class which is readily operable to open or close the switch by a train moving in the proper direction to permit the en trance of the same upon the switch or side track.

A further object is the provision of operating mechanism attached to the movable switch point which is simple and strong in construction, and which is very durable so as to last indefinitely without the necessity of repair or the liability of danger due to the ineflicient operation thereof.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the trackway showing a car mounted thereon and the ope-rating member carried thereby. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation there-of. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the trackway showing the switch point thrown so as to permit entrance to the siding. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the trackway showing the switch point thrown to close the siding. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the car-carried actuating device.

In the drawing, A designates the main track, B the siding and C the movable switch point, which latter is pivoted to the main track rail 1, as at 2. The switch point C is provided with an inwardly extending base flange 3 which is adapted to bear upon the supporting plate 4 secured beneath the track rails. Adjacent the free end 5 of the switch point C, a pair of abutting, transverse supporting plates 6 and 7 likewise secured beneath the track rails are adapted to support the end portions 8 and 9 of a pair of guide bars 10 and 11, respectively, these portions of the guide bars having their ends beveled Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 28, 1912.

Patented Oct. 1.4, 1913.

Serial No. 706,519.

outwardly, aS at 12 and 13, from their inner active faces 14 and 15, respectively, so as to provide a flaring mouth. The guide bars 10 and 11 are inclined with respect to each other so that their opposite end portions 16 and 17 are located nearer each other than the previously described end portions. These end portions of the guide arms have their ends similarly beveled, as at 18and 19, so as to provide a mouth smaller than the mouth provided at the opposite end of the guide arms, and are Secured to the upper surface of the plate 4. These guide bars it will be noted are disposed at one side of the center of the main line trackway, which arrangement is adapted to prevent the train carried operating device from becoming engaged with the same, when the said device is carried by a train headed in a direction which would not permit its entrance upon the siding, or in other words, in the direction opposite to that assumed by the car 20 shown in the drawing. The base flange 3 of the movable switch point has rigidly secured to its under face, by means of the bolts 21, the transversely extending attaching plate 22 which is disposed for transverse movement within the space 23 provided between the supporting plates 4 and 6, and is adapted to bear against the under face of the portion 17 of the guide bar 11. A longitudinally extending, actuating member 24 is disposed between the guide bars 10 and 11 and has its end portion 25 secured to the free end of the attaching plate 22 which engages the under face thereof. The extremities 26 and 27 of the member 24 are beveled at each side so as to provide points, and the portions 25 and 28 bear against the upper surfaces of the supporting plates 4 and 6 and 7, respectively.

The car 20 is provided at the front end thereof and adjacent the right hand side with a plate 29 having laterally spaced, vertical openings 30 and 31 provided therein for the reception of a vertically extending operating rod 32.

In the operation of the device, when the switch point is in the position shown in Fig. 3, and it is desired to direct the car upon the main line, the operating rod 32 is inserted in the vertical opening 31 so that its lower end will pass into the mouth pro vided between the active face 15 of the guide bar 11 and the active face 34 of the actuating member 24. As the operating rod passes between the said guide bar and the actuating member, the latter will be forced to the right against the opposite guide bar, thus throwing the switch point over against the main line rail and permitting the car to go straight ahead on the main line. On the other hand, when the switch point is in the latter position, so that the main line track is completely open, and it is desired to send the car onto the siding, the operating rod 32 is inserted in the opening 30, thereby allowing the lower end thereof to pass into the mouth provided between the active face 14 and the face 33 of the actuating member so as to cause the latter to be wedged over against the guide bar 11 to draw the switch point in the same direction thereby allowing the car to run onto the siding. It will be seen that no lateral strain will come to bear upon the operating rod as it passes through the respective channels provided between the actuating member and either one of the guide bars, and that the car will be forced onto the siding when the switch point is thrown into the position shown in Fig. 3 due to the act-ion of the wheels on the right side of the car trucks against the outer edge 35 of the said switch point. It is to be further noted that cars passing in the opposite direction will not be able to operate the switch point because the operating rod when inserted in one of the plate openings will not engage the body member which is located out of the path of movement of the said rod, thus eliminating the danger of the switch point being thrown accidentally by a train passing in the said direction.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the class described, in combination a movable switch point, a plurality of transversely extending guide plates located beneath the track rails and having a space provided between adjacent plates, a longitudinally extending actuating member mounted upon said plates for transverse sliding movement at one side of the track center and bridgin the said space, a lateral flange being provided on said switch point, an attaching plate being disposed for sliding movement within the said space between the supporting plates and having one end rigidly secured to said switch point flange and the other end rigidly secured to the base of said actuating member, and converging guide bars secured to said plates at either side of the said member and bridging the said space, the outermost of said guide bars being located above the attaching plate, the ends of said guide bars being beveled outwardly to form months with the ends of the actuating member which are beveled to form points, said guide bars adapted to guide a train carried operating rod into active en-.

gagement with the said member to throw the switch point, and further serving to limit the transverse movement of said member.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses,

MARSHALL M. MOCOMBS. Witnesses:

PAUL L. ATKINSON,

C. D. WARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the. Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

